Warco 180 lathe

[modeng2000]

Just to run through the recent events with my Warco WM180, the variable speed control no longer controlled the spindle speed down to zero. The top end was OK but it would not go below approx 200rpm. One thing led to another and while the head area was partly dismantled I made measurements of the spindle to bed alignment. This was near enough to the values that were on the check sheet that came with the lathe when new.

However I discovered that pushing on the front of the head casting away from me or pulling towards me caused a deflection on the dial gauge used to measure the spindle to bed alignment. The harder I pushed the more the reading. It is a bit difficult to say how hard but it was easy to get 0.2mm at the head end of the bed and a larger reading the further along towards the tail stock.

Bogs suggested that the might not be strong enough to reduce any bed twisting. I shall try adding kitchen worktop material at 38mm thick to see if there is an improvement in the stiffness of the bed when it is better supported.

There is some good news and that is the speed range is now working properly. I can only imagine that dusting off the parts before reassembly has cleared what ever was causing the problem. I didn't notice any swarf in the area of the circuit boards but it doesn't take much to upset things.

I hope these ramblings will be useful to someone.

John

 

[modeng2000]

I have installed the lathe on an extra piece of kitchen worktop that is 1 1/2" (38mm) thick between the bench and the drip tray. The deflection I get now is about 1/10th of what I had before remounting the lathe.

So thanks Bogs for your guidance, what would we do without you?

John